


Deceit and Discovery

by rosied



Category: Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-12
Updated: 2015-08-12
Packaged: 2018-04-14 07:07:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4555347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosied/pseuds/rosied
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What might happen if Darcy brought one more visitor to Rosings?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Deceit and Discovery

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Maidenjedi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maidenjedi/gifts).



Grosvenor Street, London - Mr Hurst's Townhouse 

“Oh, Mr Darcy! Such a vexing thing has happened! Jane Bennett is in Town – I felt it unnecessary to inform you before, because I did not think it possible that she would be so forward as to call on me if I did not acknowledge her letter, but she has done so! She has just now left the house.”

“I know, Miss Bingley. I saw her depart. It is fortunate that your brother is driving Georgiana and Mrs Annesley in the Park this morning.”

“But what should we do for the future? What if Charles and Miss Bennett should encounter each other by accident? I told Miss Bennet that Charles...” she hesitated “...is much engaged with you at present, but it may happen. And now I shall be forced to return her call – to go into CHEAPSIDE! Oh, it is insupportable!”

“I regret I can do nothing to save you from Cheapside, but as for your brother – I believe I shall invite him to accompany me first to visit my Matlock relatives, and then to join my cousin and myself when we go to visit our aunt in Kent. I had been considering before now whether to invite him, as he has been somewhat melancholy since we have been in Town. Perhaps the change in air will bring him back to his natural good humour.”

xxxxxxxx

Hunsford – the week before Easter

“Well, Bingley, we will soon be there now! This is Hunsford Lane we turn into, and that side of the road forms one of the boundaries of Rosings Park.”

“Hunsford? Is that the place where that cousin of Miss Bennet's has the living, Darcy? He was quite the oddity, was he not?”

“Yes, and dashed impertinent, too! He had the nerve to introduce himself to me at the ball you gave at Netherfield!”

“If he is such an oddity, I declare myself eager to meet him,” remarked Colonel Fitzwilliam. “I welcome anyone and anything that enlivens the monotony of Rosings.”

“I believe your wish is to be granted this very moment, “ said Bingley, who had been looking out of the carriage window at the passing scenery. “Darcy, is that not him just ahead flagging the coach down?”

Darcy leaned out of the other window. “Yes, it is,” he said resignedly. “Let us hope that we get to the house before dark.”

Mr Collins was already bowing repeatedly as the carriage came to a halt. “It gives me great pleasure to pay my respects to you, Mr Darcy, and also to assure you that your aunt is quite well at present, and has been telling us many times how much she is looking forward to your visit, and I am sure it will be as pleasing for your aunt to receive you as it must be for you to be staying with her.”

Rising from one of his many bows, he spied Mr Bingley looking out of the carriage window and greeted him with enthusiasm, remarking on the affability of Mr Darcy in inviting him to Rosings. “I believe, Mr Bingley, you are visiting for the first time, and so will have the added honour and felicity of meeting Lady Catherine de Bourgh and seeing the splendor of Rosings and its Park.”

Mr Bingley politely agreed that he anticipated both events with pleasure.

Colonel Fitzwilliam at this point requested an introduction to Mr Collins, and when his cousin obliged with a sigh, smiled and said “I'm sure you will add greatly to the pleasure of our stay at Rosings, sir.”

Mr Collins went into a paroxysm of bows and gratitude, during which Colonel Fitzwilliam raised an eyebrow at Darcy, who shook his head and smiled. Mr Bingley managed to stifle his mirth behind his handkerchief. Mr Collins finished by saying, "Mrs Collins and I are also so fortunate as to have guests staying with us, who are acquainted with you, Mr Darcy and you, Mr Bingley – our sister Maria and our cousin Miss Bennett are doing us the honour of visiting us.”

Darcy seemed taken aback and somewhat dismayed. “My aunt did not mention that you had visitors staying.”

“Miss Bennett is staying at Hunsford? How does that come to be?” Mr Bingley's expression was equal parts eagerness and worry.

“I believe Mr Collins refers to Miss Elizabeth Bennett,” said Darcy. “Is that not so, Mr Collins?”

“It is indeed, sir. My dear cousin Elizabeth is the particular friend of my wife, and has done us the great honour of condescending to pay a visit to our humble abode.”

“Mr Collins became engaged to Miss Lucas at about the same time as you left Netherfield for London, Bingley,” Darcy clarified.

“Ah. Miss Elizabeth Bennett. I see.” Bingley's face fell for a moment, then brightened again. “But we must call and pay our respects as soon as may be, Darcy! With Mr Collins' permission, of course.”

Mr Collins was delighted to give his permission, making sure the gentlemen knew of his gratitude and sensibility of the honour they doing were him. He would have continued in this vein indefinitely, had Mr Darcy not commanded the coachman to drive on.

“I suppose, Bingley, that you are correct in saying that we must call on the Collinses. I see no way of avoiding it.”

“Well of course we must!” cried Bingley. “I see no reason why you should wish to avoid it, Darcy; I myself am looking forward to it immensely!”

“I have to confess,” observed Colonel Fitzwilliam, “that I am exceeding curious to meet the lady I have heard so much of from you, Darcy, and to see whether she lives up to the glowing report you have given of her.”

Bingley looked at Darcy in surprise, but made no comment. Darcy glowered at his cousin, and the rest of their journey to Rosings was made in silence.

For his part, Mr Collins hastened back to the Parsonage to acquaint his wife and visitors with the honour they were to expect.

xxxxxxxx

Hunsford Parsonage – some time later

“...and this time Mr Darcy brings his cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, and one other person, with whom we are already acquainted. Mr Bingley accompanies them.”

“Mr Bingley? At Rosings? I am all astonishment!” exclaimed Elizabeth! “Has he been there before?”

“He has not,” Mr Collins replied, “and thus is most fortunate, as I told him, in that the delights of Rosings will be new to him...”

“Mr Bingley is a very well-mannered gentleman, as I recall, my dear,” interjected Mrs Collins, seizing the moment when Mr Collins paused for breath. “I'm sure it will be a great pleasure for us all to renew our acquaintance with him, will it not, Eliza?”

Elizabeth was not disposed to take any pleasure in the meeting. She felt extremely ill-disposed toward Bingley on account of his treatment of Jane. For whatever reason, be it want of resolution causing him to yield to pressure from his sisters and Mr Darcy to keep away from Jane, or inconstancy causing his regard for Jane to die away when not in her company, he had caused her great suffering, which from the tone of her letters she still continued to feel. Either way, Elizabeth could not approve of his behaviour, and her opinion of him decreased accordingly.

Fortunately she was saved the necessity of replying, for Mr Collins had regained his breath and went on to inform them that the gentlemen had expressed the intention of calling on them. “Though I am sure that we must not expect the honour in the near future, since Lady Catherine will have the first claim on them, and must be accorded her due. I quite envy Mr Bingley – it will be his first time meeting Lady Catherine. I vividly remember mine...”

Mr Collins paused in rapt contemplation, and it was Elizabeth's turn to seize the chance to speak.

“I wonder what Mr Bingley will make of Lady Catherine. Will his amiability and pleasing manners be equal to the occasion, or will he quail before the force of her personality?” Elizabeth rather hoped that the second alternative would be the case. “Of course,” she added, “being accustomed to the society of his sisters, Mr Bingley must be familiar with ladies who have strong opinions on every subject and are eager to share them at every opportunity; perhaps he will be equal to the occasion.”

Mrs Collins was seen to hide a smile at this, but Mr Collins was most shocked at both the description of his patroness and the comparison with people of such inferior rank, and did not hesitate to say so.

xxxxxxxx

In fact, it was the very next day that the gentlemen came to pay their respects. Mr Darcy merely greeted the party briefly, but Colonel Fitzwilliam was of a far more sociable disposition, entering into conversation readily with everyone in a very pleasant fashion.

Mr Bingley spoke to Elizabeth directly, expressing his delight in seeing her again with his usual unaffected cordiality, enquiring after her family with real regret that it was such a long time since he had last seen them - “We have not met since the 26th of November, when we were dancing together at Netherfield”. It seemed to Elizabeth, though, that Bingley talked less than he had on former occasions, and was not quite in his usual spirits. Nevertheless, the anger she felt towards him could not help but wane somewhat in the face of his good-humoured and charming manners.

Despite this, when Mr Bingley enquired whether all her sisters were still at Longbourn, Elizabeth could not resist asking, “My eldest sister has been in Town these three months. Have you never happened to see her there?” She was curious to see the reaction of both Darcy and Bingley to her question, and in Bingley's case she was not disappointed.

He was obviously greatly surprised and distressed to hear this information, exclaiming, “Upon my word! I had no idea of it! To think that we were in Town at the same time – had I but known, I could have paid a call on her – with Caroline and Louisa, of course... I wonder that they did not know either; I thought Miss Bennet was a particular friend of Caroline's. Darcy, did you hear anything of it?”

Darcy seemed to hesitate for a moment before replying that he had never been so fortunate as to meet Miss Bennett.

xxxxxxxx

Rosings

My dear Caroline,

I have such news as astonishes me greatly – Miss Bennett has been in London these many months! and I did not hear about it until I came into Kent. I am much surprised that you knew nothing of this – I had thought that you were corresponding with Miss Bennett; was I mistaken?

But no matter – I beg you will call upon Miss Bennett at once, and write by return post to let me know how she does. Tell her particularly that I am asking after her and let me know everything she says, how she looks.... everything!

Of course, you will need to know where she is staying. Miss Elizabeth Bennett was kind enough to give me her direction. Miss Bennett is staying with her aunt and uncle in Cheapside. Her uncle is Mr William Gardiner, and he resides in Gracechurch Street. Pray go and call on Miss Bennett there on receipt of this letter.

You will be saying at this point I am sure that this letter is topsy-turvy and completely lacking in information, and as I have to admit is most often the case in my letter-writing, you have the right of it.

I should tell you that the reason that Miss Elizabeth Bennett was able to give me her sister's direction is that she is staying with her cousin Mr Collins and his wife (the former Miss Lucas) here in Hunsford, the village adjoining Rosings Park. Lady Catherine de Bourgh appointed him to the living of Hunsford.... though as I recall, you met him the night of the ball we gave at Netherfield, and so cannot fail to be aware of this fact.

Lady Catherine herself is a most gracious and attentive hostess. No detail concerning my comfort is too small to escape her attention, and she takes such a prodigious interest in my concerns as to be extremely flattering. Colonel Fitzwilliam is a very agreeable companion, but as for Darcy, I do not know what to make of him. He hardly says a word to anyone. I had wondered if it is always the same when he is in Kent, but Fitzwilliam says that is not the case. We attempt to rally him, tease him, and abuse his stupidity, but to no avail. I declare he was more sociable at the Meryton assembly we attended when we first came to Netherfield.

The Collinses and Miss Elizabeth Bennett have been invited by Lady Catherine on more than one occasion to drink tea and spend the evening. Miss Elizabeth has favoured us by playing the pianoforte, which is much welcomed, especially by Colonel Fitzwilliam. I believe he is quite taken with her! Miss Maria Lucas (plain Miss Lucas now, I suppose) is also of the party, but speaks very little. I think she is rather in awe of Lady Catherine, and one cannot fault her for that; I think that if I were not staying with Lady Catherine, and by this means becoming better acquainted with her, I should find her quite terrifying. (Miss Anne de Bourgh, Lady Catherine's daughter, also speaks very little, but in her case I believe it to be because she is of a rather sickly disposition.)

Rosings is a grand house, and the Park is very extensive and scenic; I intend to take advantage of it while I am here by taking many walks. I must say that of all such estates I have seen, Pemberley is the only one that exceeds its beauty.

It would give me great pleasure, Caroline, to be able to introduce you to Lady Catherine – you are both such accomplished conversationalists that you could not fail to get on together.

Now I will finish and send this letter post-haste so that you may be able to call on Miss Bennet without delay.

I remain, my dear Caroline,

Your affectionate brother,

Charles

PS Do not forget to write back immediately as soon as you have seen ~~Ja~~ Miss Bennett.

xxxxxxxx

Rosings - in the Park

Elizabeth walked blindly through the Park, her mind reeling at the conversation she had just had with Colonel Fitzwilliam. It seemed that Mr Darcy had not only taken the major part in detaching Bingley from her sister, but actually rejoiced in the success of his endeavour.

Suddenly, she heard herself being hailed by Mr Bingley himself. “Miss Bennett! How delightful to see you! This park is excellent for walking, is it not? I collect that you enjoy the exercise; perhaps we might walk together for a while.”

Elizabeth greeted him with little enthusiasm; he was quite the last person she wished to meet in her present mood. “I had not expected to meet you, Mr Bingley. By all means, let us walk on,”

They walked for a while, but though Mr Bingley attempted to make conversation, Elizabeth answered him in monosyllables, or not at all.

Eventually, Bingley wearied of his attempts at conversation, and asked, “Pardon me for mentioning it, Miss Bennett, but you seem somewhat displeased with my company today. Have I done anything to offend you? If so, I beg you will tell me, so that I may endeavour to make amends.”

Elizabeth considered how to reply for a moment, then decided to be frank. “You have undoubtedly caused great offence, but not to myself. I have just learned something very disturbing from Colonel Fitzwilliam concerning you and Jane.”

“Myself and Miss Bennett? But surely the Colonel is not at all acquainted with your sister? How is it possible that he could know anything of us?"

“He mentioned no names, but it was obvious to me that he had the two of you in mind. Forgive me for being so forward, but where it is a matter of ruining the happiness of a most beloved sister, I must speak freely. Can you deny that you allowed Mr Darcy to detach you from Jane?”

“What... but... how could he... your sister's...” Mr Bingley paused, took a deep breath, then stopped walking and turned to face Elizabeth. His face bore a more serious and determined expression than she had ever seen on it. “Please, Miss Bennett, tell me exactly what Colonel Fitzwilliam said, and explain what you mean when you talked about your sister's happiness. It is immeasurably important to me that I know.”

Elizabeth was more than ready to repeat the particulars of her conversation with Colonel Fitzwilliam. “He told me that Mr Darcy congratulated himself on having saved a friend from making a most imprudent marriage, that there were very strong objections against the lady. As for Jane's happiness, I know she felt that you cared for her, and that the regard she had for you was every bit as great as that which she thought you felt for her. She suffered greatly when you abandoned her, and from her letters to me, she suffers still.”

“Miss Bennett, upon my life I swear to you I did not intentionally abandon her!” cried Bingley. “It is true that Darcy, aided by my sisters, tried to detach me from her, but I resisted them. I did not care what they said about her prospects and her relations, her lack of dowry – I am perfectly capable of providing for her, and it would have been my privilege and pleasure to have done so; indeed, one of my main objects when I went to London was to consult with my solicitor about how best to do so. Even when they assured me that Jane did not care for me, I still wished to marry her, and hoped that I would be able to induce her to love me as I loved her. But after I had time to think about it, I realised that by depriving her of the chance to find a partner who she loved, I was doing her a disservice, and it would be best for her that I should not pursue her, but leave her free to find true happiness. But oh! Miss Bennett, if she does indeed care for me, I beg of you to use your influence to explain to her what I have just told you.”

“Indeed I will! I will write to Jane directly and tell her everything!”

“May I be so bold as to ask if I may include a brief message to Miss Bennett with your letter?”

“You may certainly ask, Mr Bingley, but you will do no such thing!” cried Elizabeth. Relenting, she added, “I can certainly understand the wish, but it would be most improper, and Jane is much troubled by impropriety, so you see you would be doing yourself no service. But you may be sure that I will give a very glowing account of you, and she will be very well-disposed to see you when you return to London – not that she would be ill-disposed to see you even without the letter, I assure you!”

The two walked on through the Park, with much to say to each other regarding future happiness, and on Elizabeth's part, much abuse of Darcy, on the subjects of his arrogance, and his dreadful treatment of Mr Wickham. Bingley was shocked to hear what Elizabeth had to say, especially on the second subject, and resolved to confront Darcy about this and about his behavior towards himself and Jane at the earliest opportunity. 

xxxxxxxx

Rosings

When Bingley got back to the house, he looked for Darcy directly, finding him at last in the billiard room. He marched straight up to Darcy, and accosted him thus: “Darcy, I must speak to you as a matter of urgency! I wish to know why you thought it your place to decide that I must not make an offer to Jane Bennett, and why you did everything in your power to detach me from her? You convinced me that she was not attached to me, and now I find that she was very much attached, and still is! Furthermore, you bragged about your success in the matter! Well, man, what have you to say for yourself?”

Darcy was completely taken aback. For the first time in his friendship with Bingley, he found himself lost for words. Finally he managed, “I believed everything I told you at the time, and in all honesty, with regard to her lack of money and her connexions, it cannot be an advantageous match for you. However, if I was mistaken as to the strength of her feelings for you, I apologise sincerely. I also apologise for my conduct in boasting to another about my success to another; it was unworthy of me. May I ask, though, how it happens that you have just now become aware of her true sentiments?”

“I fear I must take the blame for that,” Colonel Fitzwilliam said from the corner of the room, where he had been chalking his cue. “I was walking with Miss Bennett earlier this morning, and I happened to mention in conversation your successful prevention of a friend from making an unsuitable alliance, and gave it as my opinion that you, Bingley, were the friend in question. No wonder she was so adamant that you had no right to interfere, Darcy, and why she felt so suddenly unwell! I imagine she sought you out to make her opinion known to you, Bingley?”

“She did not; I happened to encounter her after your conversation, and asked her why she seemed so displeased with me; which was fortunate, since otherwise I suppose she would not have said anything about it to me. Indeed, I think she would not have said anything to me at all. And it seems you were not the only one to mislead me in this matter – I find that my own sisters knew Jane Bennett was in London, for she called on them, and conspired to withhold the information from me.”

“I have to confess that I was also aware of her presence in London, and aided your sisters in keeping you ignorant; it was the one part of the business that I felt was badly done, and once again I apologise.”

Bingley stared at Darcy in shock. “I am astounded that you behaved in this way to me – I begin to wonder whether I can trust you in anything you say! Perhaps Miss Elizabeth was correct in her account of your behaviour towards Wickham, though I assured her at the time that I did not think you capable of it.”

“What exactly did she tell you of Wickham?” Darcy demanded.

“That you had gone against your father's request that you should give him one of the livings that were in your power to bestow, thus causing him a great disadvantage in life; and that you did this out of jealousy of your father's great attachment to him.”

Darcy and Fitzwilliam exchanged glances.

“I think we should make him acquainted with the true details of the matter,” the Colonel said.

“Yes, you are right,” agreed Darcy. "Bingley, what we are about to tell you is in the strictest confidence.”

Bingley assented, and the two cousins told in great detail of Wickham's extravagance, imprudence, and licentious behaviour, of the fact that on being offered the living that Darcy's father had asked for him to be given, he refused the offer, demanding money instead, and that when the money ran out and Darcy refused to have given any more, he persuaded Darcy's sister Georgiana to elope with him. “It was only discovered because I had the good fortune to arrive in Ramsgate to visit her just before the elopement was due to take place, that I was able to prevent it. His motives were undoubtedly her fortune, and the wish to be revenged on me, and had he succeeded his revenge would have been complete indeed.”

“I am most shocked to hear all this!” cried Bingley, “and greatly relieved that Wickham was prevented from imposing on your sister. If this is the case, I must trust your account of your actions with regard to myself and Miss Bennett, though I fail to see why you were so vehement in your objections to her station in life.”

“Oh, as to that,” remarked Colonel Fitzwilliam, “I suppose he was trying to convince himself as well as you; after all, the objections to a match between yourself and Miss Jane Bennett would apply equally to a match between my cousin and Miss Elizabeth Bennett!”

“Fitzwilliam!” Darcy was outraged. “How dare you speak of this?”

“Oh, come now, Darcy! If you are allowed to express your opinion about Bingley wishing to marry one Bennett sister, it is only fair that he should be given the chance to express his opinion about you wishing to marry another.”

Darcy had to admit the truth of this. “Well, Bingley, what is your opinion? Should I make her an offer as I have decided?”

“In principle, I think it an excellent idea, not the least because it would mean we would be brothers.”

“But in practice?”

“I think that before you make an offer, you need to improve her opinion of you; I make no doubt that she would refuse you, were you to make an offer at present.”

“How do you propose I do that?”

“First, you must apologise sincerely and completely about your actions toward her sister. Then I think you must tell her the truth about Wickham.” He waved aside Darcy's objection. “I know you would rather not, but it is essential if she is ever to think well of you, and I am certain she would not betray your confidence any more than I will. Once that is done, you will be able to court her, and win her affections, which I think you must do in time.”

“Well, I have never known you to be so decisive, Bingley! I will follow your instructions to the letter. May I take it this means you will forgive my stupidity towards you and Miss Bennett?”

“I suppose it does, though I warn you I shall take great pleasure in teasing you about it at every opportunity!”

“I will put up with it with as much patience as I am able.”

“In other words, not at all,” commented Fitzwilliam. “Now, let us go and change for dinner, else we will be late, and you know how strongly Lady Catherine feels about punctuality!”

They made for their rooms, in haste, Darcy remarking as they left that he would take the earliest opportunity to have a private conversation with Miss Bennett.

xxxxxxxx

 

Gracechurch Street, London

 My dearest Lizzy,

I can scarce believe what you tell me of ~~Cha~~ Mr Bingley! Can it really be that he truly admired me – that he still admires me? That he wishes – oh, I hardly dare think of his wishes, let alone write of them! Do, please assure him that I share his feelings exactly – I know you have already, but I wish to be completely sure that he no longer doubts my affections. I cannot believe I am being so forward, but I do believe that in this situation it is allowable!

What a strange (but fortunate) chance that having been so long in Town without seeing Mr Bingley (and I know that is what you were hoping for when you urged me to accept Aunt Gardiner's invitation; do not deny it), he should come into Kent while you are there!

I am much grieved to read of Miss Bingley's duplicity in giving me to believe that her brother was aware of my presence in Town while neglecting to inform him. I can only think that she wished to spare him unhappiness, but still, it was very wrong of her, and I have to confess I am disappointed in her.

But enough of that – I await your arrival in London with great impatience (perhaps a little of that impatience is reserved for the escort you will have!)

Your affectionate sister

Jane

xxxxxxxx

When Mr Bingley first saw his sisters upon his return to Town, he expressed himself very strongly, especially to Caroline, in such a way that astonished them greatly, then suggested that they develop a pressing need to visit their relatives in Scarborough. They hastily agreed, departing most precipitously, and leaving the field clear for Bingley to pursue his wooing of Jane unhindered. He made the most of the opportunity, and they were quickly engaged, first with the approval of Mr Gardiner, in the absence of Jane's father, which was confirmed by Mr Bennett when they travelled into Hertfordshire.

Miss Bingley and Mrs Hurst then wrote to their brother and to Jane to express their congratulations in such glowing terms, that Jane was almost persuaded to believe that Caroline's duplicitous behaviour was due in some way to a misunderstanding – almost, but not quite! She did, however, suggest to Bingley that they be invited to the wedding, thus bringing their visit to their Scarborough relatives to an end, to the relief of all concerned.

The wedding itself was as delightful an affair as may be imagined, and the demeanour of Darcy as best man and Elizabeth as maid of honour was such as to cause everyone who watched them together to predict another wedding in the near future.

 


End file.
